Bicycle.



R. M. FRANKLIN.

BIGYGLB.

nrmouron FILED APR. 6, 1907.

Patented May 17, 1910.

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ROBERT M. FRANKLIN, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

BICYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 6, 1907.

Patented May'17, 1910.

Serial No. 366,814.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in bicycles, and particularly tobicycles which are propelled by the front wheel.

The invention comprises the production of a frame, wheels therefor, asprocket and chain for revolving the front wheel, pedals for revolvingone of said sprockets, and balancing cranks for regulating the movementof the pedals.

The invention further comprises the production of a crank and crankhanger positioned on the front parts, bracing rods pivotally mountedthereon and secured to the pedals of the bicycle for regulating theangle at which the same is adapted to operate.

,The invention still further comprises the production of ball bearingretaining means which is designed to hold the balls in proper position.

The object in view is the production of a bicycle propelled by the frontwheel and improved means for regulating the angle at which the operatingpedals are adapted to be positioned.

Another object in View is the production of a bicycle propelled by thefront wheel, pedals for operating the driving mechanism thereof, and acrank and hanger secured to the front forks of the bicycle for holdingthe pedals at a predetermined angle, and securing the best applicationof the power of the muscles, especially when wheel is fitted withcoaster brake.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

to better disclose the arrangement thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof an improved ball retainer forming a part of the present invention.through Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a side elevation of a modified form of pedal.Fig. 6 is a still further modified form of pedal.

In constructing a bicycle according to the present invention, I providea pair of wheels 1 and 2 of any desired construction, but I preferablyprovide the front wheel with a coaster brake and make the rear wheel 2of considerably less size that the front wheel 1. Rear wheel 2 ismounted in rear stays 3 and rear forks a of any desired description.Rear forks 4 are rigidly secured by key 7 at their lower ends to bolt 5which extends the full length of tube 6. The upper end of rear stays 3are secured to a gear wheel 8 in any convenient manner, which in turn iskeyed to or secured in any convenient manner to bolt 5. Gear wheel 8 isadapted to mesh with second gear 9 which is rigidly secured to seat post10 which is pivotally mounted in bearing 11 of any desired construction.By this structure the person using the bicycle may guide the same bymoving the seat 12 one way or the other which motion will becommunicated to rear wheel 2 through the connections just described.Mounted upon the lower end of tube 6 in any convenient way is a crankhanger 13 of any desired construction. Within hanger 13 is journaled anaxle 14 to which is rigidly secured a sprocket 16 which is designed tocommunicate power through chain 17 to a front sprocket 18 secured towheel 1. Front wheel 1 is secured to front forks 19 in the usual way,and is designed to receive power for revolving the same through chain 17from sprocket 16. The front fork 19 and the lower front forks or bracingmembers 20 are constructed preferably from flat metal formed with a rib21 for stifiening the same. I preferably use this form of fork formed offlat metal with the rib 21, but it will be perfectly evident that roundor flat tubing may be used as may be desired. Front forks l9 clasp attheir upper end the upper tube or bracing member 22, and then passupward to a suitable handle 23. From this it will be evident that handle23 and front forks 19 are Fig. 4 is a vertical section rigidly securedin position and are designed to turn with the front wheel and its frameand thus cooperate in the steering, which is to be done mainly throughmovement of saddle 12. The rigidity of handle 23 provides a bracingmember against which the rider may brace himself when forcing seat 12one way or the other. Mounted upon front forks 19 in any convenient wayis a hanger 24 formed with suitable ball bearings 25. Passing throughhanger 24 is a shaft 26 which has secured to each end thereof, cranks2727. Cranks 27-27 are provided with a groove 28 therein foraccommodating ball bearings 29 which are held in position by a suitableball retainer 30 more fully hereinafter described. Cranks 2727 are alsoprovided with a stub shaft 31 upon which is mounted cone 32 for forminga bearing surface for balls 33. A cup 34 is provided also foraccommodating balls 33 and is held in position by a housing 35. Housing35 has on inner side a flat, hardened face or shallow flat bottomedgroove of sufficient width to allow slight eccentric play of the balls29 so as to avoid binding when the bearings 29 and 33 are not exactlyconcentric. An annular flange 37 is also formed in housing 35 forslightly telescoping over the enlarged portion of cranks 27. Any desiredlocking means as nut 38 is provided for preventing cone 32 from backingoff. By this construction, housing 18 held in position against crank 27and 1s provided with suitable antifriction means for making the same runmore easily both in its vertical and lateral movement, as ball 33 willassist in preventing any large amount of friction when a vertical strainis brought on crank 27 and balls 29 will prevent friction when a lateralor thrust strain is brought against crank 27. Rigidly secured to housing35 is a pair of depending rods 39 and 40 which are rigidly secured topedal 41. Pedals 41 are pivotally mounted at 42 in any convenient mannerto cranks 43 which are in turn rigidly secured to shaft 14. By thisconstruction any power brought to bear on pedals 41 will be communicateddirectly to hearing 42 and from thence to wheel 1, or if the pressure isnear the outer end of pedal 41 the power will be transmitted to housing35, crank 26 to the outer pedal, and from thence to wheel 1. By thisconstruction all the power exerted upon either of the pedals will beused either directly by the pedal upon which the power is exerted'orthrough axle 26 and connecting mechanism to the other of said pedals.The use of shaft 26 and surrounding mechanism and depending orconnecting bars 39 and 40, together with pedals 41 not only utilizes allthe power exerted by the rider, but is designed to utilize the same tothe best advantage as thepedals 41 are held at the proper angle at alltimes for receiving and transmitting the power exerted thereon to thedriving wheel 1. The pedals 41 are designed preferably to be ofconsiderable length, for instance, the length of the entire foot so asto have a broad bearing for the feet of the rider.

As a slight modification of form, in applying my improved pedal bearingsin any machine where pedals are used, 1 may use the form shown in Fig. 5in which a supporting member 44 is rigidly secured to a housing of theconstruction shown in F ig. 2, or I may use, in connection with thehousing and bearings shown in Fig. 2, the modified form of supportingmember or swinging pedal 45 rigidly attached to the short legs 46 asshown in Fig. 6. The main feature of this modification is the provisionof a depending swinging foot-restor pedal upon which the foot isdesigned to press when propelling the bicycle.

In Figs. 3 and 4 will be seen an improved ball retainer which isdesigned to be used in connection with the present invention. In thisball retainer, a pair of plates 47 and 48 are secured together in anyconvenient manner as by rivets 49. The plates 47 and 48 are providedwith any desired number of apertures which are flared as at 50 andbetween which flaring edges balls 29 are forced. The flaring edges 50will spring sufficiently to permit ball to be forced therebetween, andwill then hold the same against accidental removal, or the balls may befirst placed in the flared apertures and the plates next rivetedtogether so as to confine the balls loosely. By this structure ofapertures formed with flaring edges, balls 29 are firmly held inposition but yet are adapted to project far enough beyond the edges toform a bearing surface. A suitable aperture 51 is provided centrally ofplates 47 and 48 for accommodating a shaft or axle of any kind that maybe desired to pass therethrough.

WVhat I claim is 1. A device of the character described, comprising aframe, wheels mounted in said frame, a steering apparatus on said frame,a sprocket secured to the front wheel, pedals for moving said sprocket,means for conveying power to said pedals, and a plurality of means foroperating said power conveying means for determining the angle at whichsaid pedals operate.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a frame, wheelsmounted therein, a sprocket secured to the front wheel, a sprocketsecured centrally of said frame, means for communicating power from'said centrally positioned sprocket to said sprocket on the front wheel,pedals for revolving said centrally positioned sprocket, a crank hangermounted on said frame above the front wheel, an axle and cranksjourna-led in said crank hanger, and means connecting said pedals,regulating the angle, and transmitting power from one to the other ofsaid pedals.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a frame, wheelsmounted in said frame, means for guiding the device, and means forpropelling the device by the front wheel, said means comprising acentrally positioned sprocket on said frame, a sprocket on said frontwheel, means for transmitting power bet-ween said sprockets, cranks forrotating said sprocket mounted in said frame, pedals secured to theouter extremities of said cranks, auxiliary cranks mounted on the frontof said frame and connecting rods between said pedals and said auxiliarycranks.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame, wheels in saidframe, securing means, and propelling means, said propelling meanscomprising a sprocket carried by the front wheel, a crank shaft mountedcentrally of the frame, cranks secured to said crank shaft, a sprocketsecured to said crank shaft, means connecting said sprockets forcommunicating power from one sprocket to the other, a crank shaftcarried by the front forks of said frame, cranks secured to said lastmentioned crank shafts, depending arms rotatably mounted on theextremities of said last mentioned cranks, and pedals supported at oneend by said arms and at the other pivotally connected to the extremitiesof the cranks carried by the centrally mounted crank shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. FRANKLIN.

Witnesses:

J. SINGER, G. H. ANDERSON.

